Focus Passage: John 1:19-34
Introduction: I read about a small boy who was consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless he arrived later than ever. His mother met him at the door and said nothing. At dinner that night, the boy looked at his plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his father's full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The boy was crushed.
The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly took the boy's plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son. When that boy grew to be a man, he said, "All my life I've known what God is like by what my father did that night." J. Allan Peterson.
I. Abraham & Isaac – Gen 22:2-13
a. v2 Take your son, your only son, the son whom you love, Isaac… VERY SPECIFIC!
b. v 3-5 Abraham obeyed, even though he didn’t understand
c. v 6 Abraham made Isaac carry the wood
d. v 7-8 Isaac wants to know where the sacrifice is. Abraham says “God will provide”
e. v 9-13 They BOTH trust God enough to obey
II. Passover Lamb – Hebrews trying to leave Egypt; God said, “I’ll take care of it; follow my directions.”
a. v 4: take a lamb
b. v 6: kill it
c. v 7: sprinkle its blood on doorposts and lintel
d. 13: “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
III. Jesus – God’s perfect sacrifice
a. Like with Abraham and Isaac, God provided it.
b. Like with the Hebrews in Egypt, the blood saves us from destruction.
c. Jesus willingly presented Himself as the sacrifice. – Hebrews 9:13-14, 24-28
i. Once for all
ii. Once was enough
Invitation: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
(John 3:16 NASB)
